


Expensive Charcoal Pencils

by Nananachos



Category: EXO (Band)
Genre: Architect BaekHyun, BaekYeol - Freeform, ChanBaek - Freeform, Chenyin, Drunken Flirting, Drunkenness, Fluff, M/M, Music Producer Yeol, One Shot, Rejection, Speed Dating, Suho Entertainment, Yixing is the trustworthy friend, one shut fluff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-01-23
Updated: 2018-01-23
Packaged: 2019-03-08 13:55:07
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,415
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13459662
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Nananachos/pseuds/Nananachos
Summary: Chen blackmails Baekhyun to go out and try speed dating."Those are not eyeliners but very expensive charcoal pencils, Chen. I need them back later or else I'm gonna kill you."





	Expensive Charcoal Pencils

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this when I just graduated from college. So there might be outdated jokes and scenarios. Please try not to cringe. I love you.

Baekhyun was a bit uneasy and fidgety as he was riding a bus towards Viva Polo. He regrets the day he agreed to Chen's invitation for a 'speed dating' event. 

 

As he climbed down the bus, Chen immediately greeted him. "Baekhyun! I thought you'd never come!"

 

"How could I refuse? You practically blackmailed me." Baekhyun shrugged.

 

"Hold your horses, brother... I kept your eyeliners safe." Chen's cheekbones were practically popping out of his cheeks.

 

"Those are not eyeliners but very expensive charcoal pencils, Chen. I need them back later or else I'm gonna kill you."

 

Chen raised both hands up and nodded in defeat. "Let's go. The girls are waiting!"

 

A middle-aged lady wearing heavy makeup and really high heels handed them their nametags. "Welcome to V.I.P. Speed Dating event Mr... Chen and uh-...Baekhyun. Hope you enjoy your dates. We'll be starting in a minute."

 

Chen playfully punched Baekhyun's shoulder and walked towards a booth where a girl with long curls sat.

 

Baekhyun walked towards the nearest booth where a tanned-skin girl was tinkering with her phone.

 

"Annyeong Hasseyo. My name's Park Eun Sung. Okay, the rules are very simple. You can start talking with your partners as soon as I ring this bell." Heavy-make-up-organizer called out through a microphone. "You have two minutes to talk to your dates. As soon as two minutes have passed, I'm gonna ring this bell and every gentleman must move clockwise to the next booth. We will do this until all 15 pairs have met."

 

"After all dates have been introduced, we will give out cards with your names on top. Everyone must write their first and second choices on the space below. We will evaluate your cards and those with compatible choices get a free dinner date courtesy of our sponsor, Viva Polo after the event. Everyone, good luck and enjoy your dates!"

 

Park-ahjumma rang the bell. A sound enough to make Baekhyun fidget even more.

 

"Hi." Tanned-girl said in a high pitch and waved her long fingers playfully. "Hyorin." She said confidently. "You are?"

 

"Baekhyun." He replied with a half bow. 

 

"Hmmm. You seem younger...and shy!" Hyorin giggled.

 

Baekhyun caught a glimpse of a tattoo in her arms. He could feel his ears turning red.

 

"Are you blushing?" Hyorin moved her face closer. "That's sooo cute!"

 

"S-Sorry. I am n-"

 

"Not used to speed dating?" Hyorin flashed an eyesmile. "That's what everyone in here is gonna say."

 

Before Baekhyun could dven reply, Hyorin blurted out, "I love swimming, cats and chocolate cake. Hmmmm... I work as a dance instructor aaaaand... my ideal type is Taeyang."

 

Baekhyun gulped. "Uhh... I see. Uhh... Well... I am an architect..."

 

He looked at Hyorin and her hands were clasped while her eyes were telling him to go on.

 

"I learned Apkido when I was younger. Uhmmm... I -"

 

Ding!!!

 

"Oh..." Hyorin sat straight. "Too bad. Time's up. Well.. nice to meet you, Baekhyun!"

 

Baekhyun bowed and moved on to the next booth.

 

This time, it's a fair-skinned young lady with long auburn hair.

 

"Hi. I'm Baekhyun." He extended his arm towards her. 

 

"Dasom." She bashfully shook his hand. 

 

There was a pause. 

 

"So..." Baekhyun tried to break the silence. "Is it your first time too?"

 

Dasom nodded. "I came with Hyorin-unnie." She pointed at her left.

 

"Oh... so you're a dance instructor too."

 

Dasom nodded. 

 

Awkward silence. She's totally different from Hyorin.

 

"I work in architecture. I came here with my buddy, Chen." 

 

Dasom pursed her lips. She wants to say something but she's much too shy.

 

Baekhyun panicked a little bit. "Nice place they got here. Italian.... I like....lasagna."

 

I LIKE LASAGNA. WTF?! Baekhyun mentally wanted to smack himself.

 

Dasom nodded and smiled a little bit. "It's nice."

 

Awkward silence.

 

DING!!!!

 

(Oh thank heavens!)

 

Baekhyun talked to more girls but no one special-enough-to-remember in particular. Eye-smile Eunji, Hyper-yet-cute Min, Loud and quirky radio DJ Sunny, Mysterious artist Jia, “Too young” Lee Hi, Hot- bod Yuri and Chinese LiYin.

 

Now, down to the last date. Baekhyun looked over his watch. He has been in there for thirty minutes and it seemed like a whole day. He hastily moved to the next table where a pretty, petite girl in a red cardigan sat.

 

“Byun Baekhyun.” He handed him his right hand.

 

“Kim Taeyeon.” She took his hand. “Nice to meet you.”

 

“Have I seen you before? You look familiar.” Baekhyun looked at her quizzically.

 

Taeyeon shook her head. “No idea. Common Face.” She pointed at herself and sighed a few laughs.

 

“That’s not it.” He shook his head. “Are you perhaps from Seoul Architectural College?”

 

Taeyeon shook her head. “I graduated from Girin Arts School. Music.”

 

“Aha!” Baekhyun snapped his finger and pointed at her. “You sang for my brother’s wedding a year ago.”

 

The lady’s eyes widened. “I remember! You’re Beom-oppa’s younger brother!”

 

Baek nodded. “Yeah. Too bad we were not introduced back then.”

 

“I had to leave right ahead. I had another wedding booked.”

 

“Wow, you must be really good…”

 

Taeyeon smiled shyly. “Not so… I wanted to stay until the cake-cutting. The cupcakes served were extremely tempting.”

 

“It is.”

 

DING!

 

 

“Listen… if you want to hang out some time. I know the cupcake place Hyung had-“

 

“I love to but-” Taeyeon abruptly said.

 

“I’ll see you after this. Nice to meet you again, Taeyeon.”

 

Park-ahjumma rang her bell thrice grabbing everyone’s attention.

 

“So, we had you write down your first and second choices and paired them up for compatibility. Only those whom I call out had the most luck today. They’re choices matched with the other and they will be treated to a special dinner date tonight courtesy of Viva Polo. For those who were hmmm…. Not so lucky to land a date tonight. We will be having  
another event next week. We hope you come back and meet more new faces. Alright! Let’s give ourselves a round of applause!”

 

Baekhyun still has his eyes on Taeyeon who was a few meters across him. She is so beautiful. There is something so special about this girl that he can’t wait to talk to her again. He was absolutely sure that Taeyeon also wrote his name as her choice.

 

“Hyorin and Jay Park”

 

“LiYin and Chen”

 

“Eunji and Kibum”

 

“Dasom and Baro”

 

“And finally, Lee Hi and Hanbin.”

 

Baekhyun was still waiting for his name to be paired up with Taeyeon but Park-ahjumma was already handing out the certificates for a free dinner to those who were called.  
“Thank you everyone and have a good night!”

 

He spotted Taeyeon walking out the door and he quickly ran after her.

 

“Taeyeon-“ he called out to her. “Hey…”

 

Taeyeon turned around and saw Baekhyun. She instructed her company to go ahead.

 

“Hey.” She awkwardly replied.

 

“I… I honestly thought you would-“

 

“Sorry.” She cut him off. “I was trying to tell you earlier. Baekhyun…”

 

Uh-oh. This doesn’t look good.

 

“I have a boyfriend.”

 

“Oh.” Baekhyun was lost.

 

“I just did this for Yuri. She wanted me to go with her.”

 

Baekhyun pursed his lips and smiled. “I understand.” He was nodding his head.

 

“I’m really sorry, Baekhyun. But it was so nice meeting you… “

 

“Taeyeon!” Yuri called her from a silver car. “I need to go. Bye!” Taeyeon ran towards the car.

 

Baek waved his hand. Then all of a sudden, a pair of arms leaned on his back.

 

“The one that got away, huh…” Chen teased.

 

“Shut up, Chen.”

Chen handed his friend a black leather case. “Your eyeliners, my friend.”

 

Baekhyun grabbed the case from Chen’s hands.

 

“Listen, I guess I am to be held responsible for my friend’s broken heart. Let me buy you a drink.” Chen said.

 

“You have a date with LiYin, Chen. I guess I’ll just go home.”

 

“I insist.” Chen pushed Baekhyun back inside. “LiYin will be back in thirty minutes. I guess you’re my date for the mean time.”

 

“You’re disgusting.”

 

Baekhyun and Chen were sitting on the bar stools when LiYin walked in. Chen instructed her to come over.

 

“LiYin, I would like to introduce you to Baekhyun, my best friend.”

 

LiYin shook Baekhyun’s hand. “Nice to meet you, Baekhyun.”

 

“Likewise.”

 

“Sorry to keep you waiting. I just had to go home and feed my dog.”

 

“No problem.” Chen responded. “Baek and I were just talking.”

 

“Sorry to take your bestfriend for a while.” LiYin joked.

 

Baekhyun laughed and shook his head. “By all means, take him. He’s all yours.”

 

“See you later, bro.” Chen said before he led LiYin to a reserved table.

 

Baekhyun gulped down all of his drink alone and called out for the bartender for another drink. A different one from before came to him. “Yes, Sir?”

 

Baekhyun has a thing of being excessively chatty when he’s a bit tipsy. “You’re different from the one here earlier.” He pointed at the tall boy. “Did he end his shift? I like that guy, he was nice…and really tall.”

 

“Kris is serving the event winners right now. I am the bartender right now.” He smiled.

 

“Oh wait. You look taller than him.”

 

He laughed a little bit and shook his head. “No, Sir. Kris is actually taller.”

 

“Byun Baekhyun.” He tried his best to stand up straight and gave out a hand to the bartender.

 

“Park Chanyeol. Nice to meet you.”

 

“Park?” Baekhyun slumped back into his seat. “Park-ahjumma from earlier?”

 

Chanyeol seemed confused at first.

 

“Ah! That’s was my Mom.”

 

“So you own this place?”

 

Chanyeol shook his head. “My parents own this place. I help here on busy nights after my work.”

 

“Ooh.. what do you do, Chanyeol?”

 

“I am a Sound Engineer for a record company.”

 

“A music-lover… I see.” Baekhyun gulped down another shot.

 

“How about you, Sir?” Chanyeol was trying to distract him so he can take away the shotglass from him. He looked like he had enough for the night.

 

“Architect.” He grinned widely. “I love my charcoal pencils. They…so expensive… but I love them.”

 

“Looks like you had enough drink, Baekhyun."

 

Baekhyun put his head down on the counter top. He was murmuring to himself but Chanyeol can hear him very well.

 

“Pfft… The one that got away huh… She’s not even that pretty… I dated guys in college prettier than her…than any girl!”

 

Chanyeol can’t help but laugh quietly at Baekhyun’s mumbling. He found it...cute.

 

“I swear…I am never gonna date another girl…again! I have my charcoal pencils… my expensive darlings… they pay the bills…they make me happy… I love them… girls are trouble…mmmmpffft..”

 

Suddenly, it became too quiet.

 

Chanyeol leaned down to inspect the drunk customer’s face. He was already sleeping. Chanyeol shook his head and took off his bartender uniform. 

 

“Lay!” He called out a waiter from the kitchen. “Take my shift for the night please. I need to go for a while.”

 

Lay nodded and started manning the bar. Chanyeol took his car keys and jacket.

 

“Baekhyun, I’m taking you home right now.”

 

Baekhyun sat up with his eyes still closed. He was still mumbling unknown words.

 

He fumbled into his pockets and dropped a couple of bills into the counter. And went back to sleep.

 

Chanyeol had no choice but to put Baekhyun’s right arm around his shoulders and helped him up.

 

He took him inside his car’s passenger seat and fastened his seatbelt.

 

“Baekhyun? Do you hear me?” He shook his shoulders to wake him up. “Where do you live?”

 

Baekhyun clumsily looked for his wallet and gave it to Chanyeol.

 

“Aish…” Chanyeol shrugged. “Giving your wallet out to anyone…you are a bad drunk.”

 

He opened up the young man’s wallet. Money, a few receipts, a graduation photo, a credit card, a key and finally, a calling card.  
“Uhh.. Baekhyun. This is your office’s address.”

 

“Two-storeys…live upstairs…”

 

Chanyeol got it right away. He turned on his GPS and start driving.

 

It took great effort to bring Baekhyun out of the car and into the second floor of his house. Chanyeol gently placed him on his bed. He took of the young man’s shoes, unbuttoned his shirt and made him put on a fresh one from one of his closets.

 

Chanyeol left Baekhyun’s wallet and keys on top of the coffee table. He made sure everything was okay before going back to his car.

 

 

When Baekhyun woke up, he felt a really painful throbbing on his head. He grabbed a glass of water from his kitchen. He can’t remember how he got home last night. He remembers talking to the bartender.

 

He saw his wallet and keys on top of the coffee table. He grabbed his wallet and saw a calling card on top if it. One belonging to a PARK CHANYEOL… then his jaw dropped. He remembers bits and pieces from what happened last night. He was on Chanyeol’s car… him having a hard time climbing up the stairs… Chanyeol putting him in bed…

 

Baekhyun quickly averted his gaze into the clothes he was wearing which made him turn red. He remembers Chanyeol undressing him which made him almost shout in embarrassment.

 

He quickly took a bath, grabbed milk from the fridge and a few slices of bread before heading out. He quickly got in his car and drove to the address of Park Chanyeol’s workplace - SuHo Entertainment.

 

Chanyeol was in the middle of editing a recording when he heard a knock on the door.

 

“Come in.” He called out.

 

He was surprised when he saw that Baekhyun walked in.

 

“Baekhyun.” He stood up to greet the lad.

 

“Chanyeol.” Baek greeted back. “ Sorry to barge in unannounced.”

 

Chanyeol shook his head. “It’s fine. Have a seat.”

 

Baekhyun sat down shyly. “I just came to apologize. Really.” He said. “I was too much last night. I disturbed you in so many ways.”

 

“It’s not a big deal, really.” Chanyeol shook his hand.

 

“It is. I was a nuisance. I am not normally like that.” Baekhyun explained.

 

“I know. It’s about ‘the one that got away’ right.” Chanyeol teased making Baekhyun blush big time.

 

“And Thank you very much…” Baekhyun added. “You didn’t have to do any of that but you did. I am grateful.”

 

“Make it up to me then…” Chanyeol grinned.

“How?” Baekhyun looked puzzled but relieved at the same time.

 

“Take me out for dinner… I would love to meet your beloved charcoal pencils.”

 

Baekhyun laughed lightly and nodded. “I’d like that…”  
____________________________________________________


End file.
